Stencil-printing machine.



PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906.

J. A. AMBLER. STENCIL PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APB-7| 1905.

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PATENTBD AUG. 21, 1906.

J. A. AMBLER. STENCIL PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7. 1905.

B SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Zjlneasea- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21, 1906.

Application filed April 7, 1905. Serial No. 254.273.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES A. AMBLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Natick, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Stencil-Printing Machines; an I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to stencil printing machines, and has for its object to simplify and im rove the construction and arrangement of t e various arts of such machines with a view to pro ucing a machine which can be manufactured more cheaply than machines which have heretofore been devised, which comprises a comparatively small number of parts arranged in a simple, convenient, and compact manner, which requires comparatively little attention on the part of the operator, and by the use of which as good or better results can be secured as by the use of more complicated and expensive machines.

The present invention is embodied in a stencil-printing machine which comprises a rotary stencil-carrier, an impression and feeding roll, and means for changing the relative position of the stencil-carrier and roll to allow the stencil-carrier to be rotated inde endently of the impression and feeding roll? A feature of the present invention contemplates arranging the rotary stencil-carrier and impression and feeding roll of a stencilrinting machine of the type referred to in suc 1 a manner that the stencil-carrier is frictionally driven from the impression and feeding roll and can be shifted to allow the carrier to be rotated independently of the roll and providing means for rotating the impression and feeding roll. Broadly considered, any suitable means may be rovided for rotatin the impression and feedlng roll,- but preferably a hand-crank is provided directly connected to the roll. An extremely sim le and e[licient means for operating the mac ine is thus provided, and the necessity of complicated and expensive mechanism for supporting the ressure-roll and for moving it toward and om the stencil-carrier is avoided. Preferably the impression and feeding roll is mounted in fixed bearings in order that the pressure of the roll against the stencil-carrier may not be varied by pressure exerted upon the handcrank connected thereto, and the necessary yielding pressure of the roll against the carrier during the printing operation is secured by yieldingly forcing the stencil-carrier toward the impression and feeding roll.

Other features of the present invention consist in an improved means for securing the stencil-sheet upon the stencil-carrier, in an improved tension mechanism for securing the desired amount of pressure between the stencil-carrier and the impression and feeding roll during the printing operation, and in certain devices, combinations, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the following description.

The various features of the present invention will be clearly understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a stencil printing machine embodying the same in their preferred form, Fig. 2 is a view in rear end elevation of the machine, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the stencil-carrier and a portion ofthe impression and feedin roll.

The frame of the machine illustrate in the drawings consists of abase-plate 1, side standards 2, and rods 3 and 4, connecting the side standards. At the front of the machine is a feed-table 5, which is constructed and arranged as illustrated and described in my prior patent, No. 696,393, dated April 1, 1902. The impression and feedin roll is indicated at 6 and is rigidlv secure upon a shaft 7, mounted in fixed earings in the side standards 2. This roll is provided with a yielding surface S of any suitable material, which sur face preferably terminates at a short distance from each end of the roll, leaving metal surfaces 9, from which the stencil-carrier is driven through a portion of its revolution, as will be hereinafter described. The stencil-carrier is frictionallv driven from the impression and feeding roll, and in order to provide a sim le and ellicient means for rotating the re] a hand-crank 10 is rigidly secured to the shaft of the roll.

The stencil-carrier is mounted in the machine-frame above the impression and feeding roll and comprises two end disks 1.1 and a plate 12, connecting the disks. The plate 12 orms a portion of a cylinder and serves as a support upon which the stencil-sheet is stretched. The disks 11 are mounted upon a shaft 13 and are rigidly secured thereto, the shaft extending axially through the stencilcarrier and resting at its ends upon horizontal supports 14, formed on the upper portion of the side standards 2. T hesc supports allow the shaft 13 to be moved laterally for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The stencil-suppi)rting plate 12 extends a little more than half-way round the disks 11, so that during a portion of its revolution the stem-il-carrier is driven by the frictional engagement of the edges of the disks 1 1 with the metal surfaces 9 at the ends of the impression and feeding roll. During the remainder of its revolution the stencil-carrier is driven by the frictional engagement of the stencil-sheet upon the supporting-plate 12 with the yieldin surface S of the impression and feeding re 1. In order to prevent the impression and feeding roll froni striking the stencil at the edge of the plate 12, the disks 11 are provided with cam-surfaces 15, which extend slightly beyond the ends of the plate, so that the roll is held out of engagement with the stencil while the ends of the stencil are passing over the roll.

In the up )er portion of each side standard 2 is pivotally mounted a bent lever 16, one arm of which is horizontal and arranged to bear upon the end of the shaft 13,and the other arm of which is vertical and arranged to be acted upon by a plunger 17. The plunger 17 is mounted in a guideway and is acted upon by a coiled spring 18, interposed between the end of the plunger and an adjusting-screw 19, by means of which the tension of the spring can be adjusted so as to force the stencil-carrier toward the impression and feeding roll with the desired pressure during the prm ting operation.

Stencil-printing machines are usually pro vided with means whereby the stencil-carrier and impression and feeding roll can be separated in orderto allow the stencil-carrier to be rotated without brin ing the stencil into contact with the roll. 11 accordance with the present invention this result is secured by shifting the position of the stencil-carrier. T 0 this end a lever 20 is pivotally mounted upon the rod 41 at each side of the machine and is provlded at its upper end with a slot throu h which. the end of the shaft 13 of the stenci -carrier projects. At their lower ends the levers 20 are connected together by a bar which is preferabl r formed integral with the two levers. The evers 20 can thus be oscillated simultaneously and when oscillated move the stencil-carrier bodil Y toward the left as viewed in Fig. 1, the ends of the shaft 13 moving along the supports 14. The bent levers 16, which bear upon the ends of the shaft 13, are provided with shallow notches near their inner ends and curve upwardly at their outer ends, so that the shaft is firmly held in either position of the steimil-carrier.

The machine illustrated. in the drawings is provided with an inking-pad 21, similar to the pad disclosed in my prior patent hercin before referred to. This pad, however, instead of being located in a recess, as in the machine of my prior patent, rests upon the surface of the plate 12 and is held in position.

by a covering 32, of cotton or other suitable fabric. The covering 22 extends over the ends of the plate 12 and is secured in position by means of pins 23, projecting inwardly from the plate. The stencil-sheet 2% when in position in the machine lies over the covering 2'3 and extends to the ends of the plate 12. ln order to provide means for securing the stencil-sheet to the plate, the plate is provided at each end with a grooved portion 25, projecting beyond the main portion of the plate and terminating at each end .a short distance f roln. the end disks 11 Each groove is adapted to receive the rod 26 of a securingclip provided with yielding or resilient arms 27, bent at their inner ends to engage the shaft 13 of the steneil-carrier. The clips are convenientlyformed of continuous lengths of wire bent to the desired shape, in using a clip to secure a stencil-sheet upon the plate 12 the end of the sheet is pressed int-o a groove by the rod 26 of the clip, and then the bent arms 27 of the clip are sprung over the shaft 13.

The nature and scope of the present invention having been indicated and a. machine embodying the invention. in its preferred form having been specifically described, what is claimed is- 1. A stencil-printing machine, having, in combination, a rotary stencil-carrier provided with a stencil-support having a longitudinal groove to receive the end of the stencil-sheet, a shaft upon which .the stencil-carrier is mounted, and a clip for securing the end of the stencil-sheet in said groove comprising a rod to enter the roove and yielding arms to engage said she t.

2. A stencil-printing machine, having, in combination, a rotary stencil-carrier, an impression and feeding roll from which the stenoil-carrier is frictionally driven, means for rotating the impression and feeding roll, and means for shifting the position of the stencilcarrier to allow the stencil-carrier to be retated inde endently of the impression and feeding roll? 3. A stencil-printing machine, having, in combination, a rotary stencil-carrier, an impression and feeding roll from which the stencil-carrier is frictionall driven mounted in fixed bearings, a hen -crank directly connected to the impression and feeding roll, means for yieldingly forcing the stencil-carrier toward the im )ression and feeding roll, and means for shifting the position of the stencil-carrier to allow the stencil-carrier to be rotated independently of the impression and feeding roll.

4. A stencil-printing machine, having, in combination, a rotary stencil-carrier, an impression and feeding roll from which the stencil-carrier is frictionally driven, mounted in fixed bearings, a hand-crank directly connected to the impression and feeding roll, a shaft upon which the stencil-carrier is mounted, rests for said shaft, means acting on said shaft to force the stencil-carrier yieldingly toward the impression and feeding roll, and means for moving said shaft laterally on said rests to shift the position of the stencil-carrier and allow the stencil-carrier to be rotated inillependently of the impression and feeding ro 5. A stencil-printing machine, having, in combination, a rotary stencil-carrier, an impression and feeding roll, a shaft upon which the stencil-carrier is mounted, levers bearing against said shaft and acting to force the stenci -earrier toward the impression and feedin roll, springs acting upon said levers, anc means for adjusting the tension of said springs.

6. A stencil-printing machine, having, in combination, a rotary stencil-carrier, an impression and feeding roll, a shaft upon which the stencil-carrier is mounted, a bent lever at each end of the carrier, arranged with one arm bearing against said shaft, a plunger engaging the other arm of the lever, an adjusting-screw, and a spring interposed between the screw and the plunger.

7. A stencil-printing machine, having, in combination, a rotary stencil-carrier, an im pression and feeding roll, a shaft upon which the stencil-carrier is mounted, rests for said shaft, means for moving said shaft laterally on said rests to shift the stencil-carrier from an operative position to a position in which the stencil-carrier can be rotated inde endently of the impression and feeding rol and a lever engaging said shaft and acting to hold the stencil-carrier in either position.

8. A stencil-printing machine, having, in combination, a rotary stencil-carrier, an impression and feeding roll, a shaft upon which the stencil-carrier is mounted, rests for said shaft, and ivoted levers for moving said shaft lateral y on said rests to shift the position of the stencil-carrier, said pivoted levers being connected to move in unison and being provided with slots engaging said shaft.

9. A stencil-printing machine, having, in combination, a rotary stencil-carrier comprising end disks and a stencil-supportin plate, an impression and feeding roll arranged to engage a stencil secured upon the stencilsupporting plate and drive the stencil-carrier for a portion of a revolution, means for rotating the impression and feeding roll, camsur faces upon said end disks arranged to engage the impression and feeding roll during the remainder of the revolution of the stencil-carrier, and means for changing the relative osition of the stencil-carrier and roll to al ow the stencil-carrier to be rotated independently of the roll.

10. A stencil-printing machine, having, in combination, a rotary stencil-carrier provided with a stencil-support having a longitudinal groove to receive the end of the stencil-sheet, and a spring-clip for securing the end of the stencil-sheet consisting of a wire bent to form a rod to enter the groove and spring-arms to extend within the carrier and secure the clip to the carrier.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES A. AMBLER.

\Vitnesscs FRED FIsn, FARNUH F. DORSEY. 

